build a tree house

I did buy a book with advice on how to do it, I’ll just wait until I find the perfect place and the perfect tree :) not for now anyway. If I ever have kids I definitely want to make it a family project (and I’m pretty sure I’d have as much fun as my kids or MORE :D )

i’ve always wanted a tree house.but a 12 year old like me would just break her bones carrying big pile of woods.xD.but maybe someday.i always need some place where i can stay and look at the view,some place quiet.sigh dreams…please come ture..xD

Thank goodness for a little planning and keeping things square. The first panel of the roof went on perfect. Exactly one piece of plywood. the second part of the roof is going to be a bit more difficult becasue of the dormer I installed. I almost didnt put it in because I knew there would be some difficulties with it but I’m glad I did, It makes for a much more pleasing design. For the siding I am simply using tongue and groove cedar siding. The cedar is a bit more expensive but in the long run I believe it will hold up better for many years as well as providing a much more pleasing look.

Well So much for a tree house that was suppose to look like a bunch of kids built it. Perfectly square and starting to look more like a cabin in the muntains. I love it when there are no plans and you can watch something develop and watch as it takes on a life of it’s own. Also in this picture you can see The steps I built up into the middle of the platform. Can’t have a treehouse without a secret trap door. The stairs were pretty easy to do however the stringers had to be offset from each other because of the imperfect angles in the beggininng. As a result the stairs are a bit on the crooked side but I also exaggerated this a bit when putting them together. I think the slight unevenness gives the whole thing character.

Well we decided the best thing to do was to make the house portion perfectly sqaure. In order to do that we had to offset the house from the base. It actually worked out very well. I really didnt want a perfect looking tree house so the crazy angles helped to achieve that a bit. Heres a picture of the framing, you can see how part of the house is actually hanging off the edge of the platform this occurs on both opposite corners of the house.

I’ve already begun on this goal. As time goes the tree house gets more complicated. I guess this will be accomplished when I can longer thing of anything else to do on it. Hres the first picture After I completed the deck. Currently there are no plans just doing it. The no plans is the reason why you see my dad (an Architect) in the picture measuring my weird angles to try and figure out how to make the house part square. If anybody out there is interested in building my advice for what its worth is to think 90 degree angles instead of crazy angles my miter saw won’t cut.

Check out this topography map!

Ok, so maybe it won’t be a FAB treehouse, maybe just a regular treehouse.

Here are the trees suitable for support:
Chêne, hêtre, frêne, platane, érable, méléze, tilleul, marronier, châtaignier, cèdre, épicéa, sapin…

And here are those to avoid:
Cerisier, peuplier, tremble, noyer

The wood to use for building the house is commonly pine (cheaper) but a red cedar, which is imputrescible, will last longer and be free from maintenance.

The sketch is from here
This tree house guide is quite a good one.
Look at La Cabane en l’Air to know where to find such accomodation in France, Abane for a constructor’s site and La Cabane Perchée for inspiration and advice that it’s a good product!! Both Le Recours aux Forêts and Les cabanes have a good forum and Orion B&B some nice photos for inspiration. Histoires de Cabanes and Cabaña en el arbol have some good sketches e.g. walls + good links (incl. something about remote water systems!).
This photographed step by step guide is the BIBLE !!!

I think these dry toilets (see France3 Report )are a must for a tree house!

more of a raised platform in the woods. Something I can build from small trees I cut and de-limb. I’ve got: an unlimited number of small poplar trees, a good selection of larger poplar trees that I could use as supports, plenty of hand tools, and most importantly—incentive.

Twice a year we camp in a very remote area, known for bears and all kind of critters. I want to make a raised platform that is big enough to set a pup tent on. Sleep above the cold ground, have a vantage point for wildlife viewing, and stay outta the way of the numerous moose, deer and whatnot gallumping down the trail and through camp.

since i saw ‘now and then’ when i was younger, i’ve always wanted one. and i imagine building your own would be much more fulfilling.